Hide and Seek
by IdreamofOTP
Summary: After nearly a week of rain over Downton, Mary starts to get bored. What better entertainment than a boys versus girls game of Hide and Seek with Tom, Sybbie and George. Just a short I came up with. Post S3.
**Hope you enjoy x**

It had been raining over Downton for nearly a whole week now, and needless to say Lady Mary was beginning to get bored. She'd resorted to finding any enjoyment she could, spending most of her days with George as much as she could. The rest of her day would be spent reading one of the books in the library or sitting with the family for meals. And the books were beginning to dull her. So she slid the book of Poetry she'd been reading onto the table and head off across the house in search of something. After nearly ten minutes of wondering around trying to find someone, Lady Mary decided to go and check on George. Only to find that someone else was already in the nursery with the children.  
"Tom, there you are," Mary smiled, walking into the room. Tom Branson was kneeling down on the floor with his eyes shielded away from the laughing Sybbie and George. Mary had quite clearly interrupted a game of Peek-a-Boo.  
"I hadn't realised that you'd been searching for me," Tom smirked, evidently amused at the thought of Lady Mary running across Downton in search of him.  
"Not for particularly you- anyone for company really," Mary kneeled down next to him and the children, bring George onto her knees. "Even Edith would have been a pleasant sight,"  
"There's the charm I know," Tom laughed. "I take it the weather is affecting you,"  
"Not normally, but I am starting to feel particularly bored." Lady Mary sighed. "Which is clearly not a problem for you: you seem to be having quite the fun."  
"I know a few games to keep us amused," Tom gestured to the children. "Surely not ones the great Lady Mary would be interested in,"  
"Well, you officially have my attention,"  
"Okay then… How about hide and seek: the boys versus the girls?" Tom suggested proudly. "Not allowed in the bedrooms, or outside, and whoever loses has to-"  
"-Buy the winners any sweets of their choice." Mary smirked, already taking Sybbie's hand and heading for the door. "We'll hide, you seek."  
"And if we find you, then you buy our sweets. You have until 100," Tom lifted George onto his shoulders, the blonde boy laughing with excitement.  
Mary and Sybbie all but ran down the corridor and started making their way carefully down the stairs by the time that Tom had even gotten to 10. As the girls made it down the stairs, Mary realised how much quicker they would be if she carried Sybbie. The competitive side to Lady Mary was really being brought out. She was so excited to find a good hiding place that she'd barely noticed that at any moment she might run right into Carson. Luckily, she'd stopped just in time.  
"Oh, Carson, thank heavens. You must hide us,"  
Carson was evidently concerned by this. "Is everything all right my Lady?"  
"Tom and George will be down any second to seek us and we haven't the faintest idea where to hide," Mary laughed, amused at how serious she was taking this game. But it was in fact Sybbie's laughs that wore Mr Carson.  
"I may have an idea: follow me,"

"100!" George squealed. With the boy still sat on Branson's shoulders, and Tom's strong hands holding him steady, the boys started their search.  
Tom straight away headed through the corridor and down the stairs, checking into the rooms as he went. ' _If I were Lady Mary where would I hide_ ' He thought to himself, walking slowly as to observe the entire hall. He headed into the library and set George down so that they could both look. On the table by the fireplace was a book which Tom picked up carefully. It was a book on poetry, and he recognised its dog-eared corner as Matthew's favourite. No wonder Lady Mary needed to company earlier. George came wondering back over to Branson, who placed the book back and lifted the blonde back onto his sturdy shoulders. "I don't think she's in here, do you?"  
George shook his head and the two left the room to continue their search.

The grandfather clock that stood in the hall told the boys that they had been searching for nearly an hour, with no luck as to finding the whereabouts of Lady Mary and little Sybbie. "I think we may have lost, George. Don't you?"  
Despite their lack of victory, George was still giggling away to himself. Tom smiled, knowing that he'd hopefully have brightened everyone's day. Tom rang the bell for the library and waited for someone to arrive so that he could spread word out to Lady Mary, wherever she and Sybbie may be hiding, that they'd won. He sat, briefly reading through the book with George on his knee when he heard footsteps.  
"May I help you Milord?" A woman asked politely.  
"Could you-" Tom began, until he looked up and ended up in a fit of laughter. There was Lady Mary, dressed from head to toe in a maid's outfit she'd borrowed from Anna, holding Sybbie – the two of them with huge smiles on their faces. The Nanny was also stood by, waiting to take the children for their meals.  
"I assume this means we've won," Lady Mary smirked proudly, letting Sybbie down to see her dad.  
"I'd say so," Tom laughed again, lifting his daughter into his arms. The sight of Lady Mary dressed as one of the staff members was enough to make Tom sure he'd never be far from laughter again. George and Sybbie were in giggles too, although Tom was fairly certain that they didn't quite understand the full irony behind it.

The Nanny took the children and left Mary and Tom standing in the library alone.  
"I have to thank you," Mary smiled to herself, sitting on one of the cushioned sofas. "You've really cheered me up today,"  
"You've cheered me up for quite a while," Tom started laughing again, sitting next to her. "That was a very smart trick though. I'm guessing you've had this planned for a while?"  
"Actually, I owe most of my thanks to Carson. I suppose I shall have to offer him some sweets as well when I get them,"  
"Of course, I'll get them for you." Tom smirked, still amused at the sight of Lady Mary. "And since it's stopped raining, I might as well go now."  
Mary looked out of the window to be pleasantly surprised at the sun that was now beaming in the sky. "So it has… Perhaps I'll join you. It'd be nice to get some fresh air after how dull it's been recently."  
The two started heading out of the room, and Tom placed the poetry book back on its shelf.  
"You found that then?" Lady Mary smiled.  
"I did… One of his favourites I believe."  
"Yes. He became rather fond of plenty of the books in that library, but that one was always one of his favourites." Mary reminisced as they left the room. "I was feeling rather down once I'd started reading it, so I just felt lonely I guess. Still, it was nice to read something that I know he cherished."  
"I understand." Tom smiled to her.  
"You do, don't you."  
The two stood in the silent hall smiling at each other for a second; just taking in how much they could understand and relate to each other. How much they really appreciated the other's company. Until Mary started laughing to herself.  
"Imagine if Matthew could see me dressed like this now," Tom joined in her laughter, with the image of Matthew's shocked expression now in his head. "I suppose I should get changed and then we can leave,"  
"I'll wait here," Tom smiled. He watched as Mary headed to where Anna would have placed her previous clothes, taking in the hilarity of her outfit whilst he still could.  
"Mary," She turned around on the stairs, surprised at his call. He smiled at her kindly. "Thank you,"  
"My pleasure," She smiled back before continuing in her way, all the while thinking how secretly glad she was that it had rained.


End file.
